Lomo Instax Wide 4x5 Test With Range-Finder

Thepng · Oct 2, 2021

I've just started playing around with my instax wide back and hadn't seen anyone using them with a rangefinder yet.

I'm using a Crown Graphic with a top range-finder and it's corresponding 135 4.7 lens. I spaced back the lens from the infinity stop by the same thickness as the ground glass spacer. The spacer is awkward to use so I 3D printed a block that is the right thickness and fits better. I also 3D printed a mark for the viewfinder using the position of the gg spacer opening and scaling it down, but I think you could do a reasonably good job just using some tape.

Test pics show that it focuses just fine with this setup! Shot 2 test pics at ~50 feet and ~8 feet and both are in focus. I'm using the sunny 16 rule and exposed at is 400, f16 @1/500th for sunny conditions. Shots are handheld and 'scanned' with an old iphone, so I'm sure I'm leaving a lot of sharpness on the table.

One item to note is that if you eject an instax with the back mounted, it ejects right in line with the eyepiece and ends up severely bending the picture on my setup. I'm removing the back to eject right now, but I may try 3D printing a guide to see if that helps.

Has anyone else tried this yet? I'm pretty impressed with how detailed the images came out and looking forward to shooting more!

mshchem · Oct 2, 2021

Now that's a reason to buy one. Well not a good reason, but still.

Donald Qualls · Oct 4, 2021

This is exactly what I plan to do (most) with mine when it arrives. I have an Anniversary Speed (with Graflok conversion) with the RF calibrated for my 13.5 cm f/4.5 Tessar (which has no shutter works, but the focal plane shutter is just fine). Spacer for the infinity stops, viewfinder mask, and in my case, I don't expect problems with the viewfinder, but if clearance is an issue, I might just mount the LomoGraflok upside down as a couple others have done, or invert the Graflok back on the camera body.

Cholentpot · Oct 4, 2021

How is the calibrated with the range finder? Or it's guesstimate focus?

Donald Qualls · Oct 4, 2021

Cholentpot said:
How is the calibrated with the range finder? Or it's guesstimate focus?

With the front standard set back to match the setback of the film plane in the LomoGraflok, the same amount of bed movement will produce the same focus shift from infinity as would be the case with a standard back and unadjusted infinity stop settings. In other words, if you calibrate your RF with the original ground glass, and then set the front standard back for the LomoGraflok, RF operation will be transparent.

The same thing has been done on hundreds (or more?) of roll film Polaroids converted to use 4x5 film holders (and a number using salvaged Instax backs); they give accurate focus over their entire range with the original RF so long as the front standard spacer is correct.

Cholentpot · Oct 4, 2021

Donald Qualls said:
With the front standard set back to match the setback of the film plane in the LomoGraflok, the same amount of bed movement will produce the same focus shift from infinity as would be the case with a standard back and unadjusted infinity stop settings. In other words, if you calibrate your RF with the original ground glass, and then set the front standard back for the LomoGraflok, RF operation will be transparent.

The same thing has been done on hundreds (or more?) of roll film Polaroids converted to use 4x5 film holders (and a number using salvaged Instax backs); they give accurate focus over their entire range with the original RF so long as the front standard spacer is correct.

I didn't know this was possible. I assumed that I'd have to go in and tinker with the Kalart to match the Instax back. I think I'll have to get one of these for my Crown Graphic now.

My Crown for some reason has two sets of infinity blocks. I should be able to unscrew the spare set and set them up exactly the distance of the spacer and have a walkabout instax with full focusability and full manual. This make sense? If so it could be a massive game changer.

Donald Qualls · Oct 4, 2021

Cholentpot said:
My Crown for some reason has two sets of infinity blocks. I should be able to unscrew the spare set and set them up exactly the distance of the spacer and have a walkabout instax with full focusability and full manual. This make sense? If so it could be a massive game changer.

A walking-around, rangefinder instant camera with full manual control (with my Annie) is exactly why I sprang for the LomoGraflok. Sadly, the Annie doesn't have fold-away infinity stops (and I've never looked for them long enough to get a set of Pacemaker ones), but I'll 3D print a spacer that I can tether inside the bed when folded (short string on the front standard clamp key, most likely) to get the same utility, or that will clip onto the rails and clear the lens. I'd carry a couple packs each of color and monochrome Instax, maybe a square or two as well (fairly easy to convert the back to take two or even all three formats, though they can only go in one end of the film compartment), and a couple Grafmatics loaded with something that has better reciprocity characteristics, or grain that I like, or, or, or...

I've even got a fedora, though I'll draw the line at a cigar...

Thepng · Oct 4, 2021

I double checked my focus calibration by moving the lens back by the correct spacing, and then set up on a tripod. I used the range finder to focus on near and far objects, and the checked to make sure the ground glass had good focus with the spacer installed. Only took a couple minutes and is worth it if you don’t trust your setup.

Thepng · Oct 4, 2021

Cholentpot said:
I didn't know this was possible. I assumed that I'd have to go in and tinker with the Kalart to match the Instax back. I think I'll have to get one of these for my Crown Graphic now.

My Crown for some reason has two sets of infinity blocks. I should be able to unscrew the spare set and set them up exactly the distance of the spacer and have a walkabout instax with full focusability and full manual. This make sense? If so it could be a massive game changer.

I’m planning on doing this also! Just have to make sure the lens is ‘square’ to the focus rails with only one contact point.

Cholentpot · Oct 4, 2021

Thepng said:
I’m planning on doing this also! Just have to make sure the lens is ‘square’ to the focus rails with only one contact point.

Sounds promising. I've not yet ordered a Lomo back but it's looking like something I'll need to do.

In a shellnut, I just need to A make sure lomo spacer is true for focus and then B used GG to confirm where to put down the infinity stops. And then C use GG to make sure that the stops are 'square'?

Thepng · Oct 4, 2021

No need to use the gg to check squareness of the front standard in my opinion, I’m just careful not to clamp down the front standard crooked because of (at least my camera has) wiggle between the front standard and the focus rails.

Im planning on making a 3D printed spacer that also acts as a square to help accomplish this, but is probably just ocd on my part.

Cholentpot · Oct 4, 2021

Thepng said:
No need to use the gg to check squareness of the front standard in my opinion, I’m just careful not to clamp down the front standard crooked because of (at least my camera has) wiggle between the front standard and the focus rails.

Im planning on making a 3D printed spacer that also acts as a square to help accomplish this, but is probably just ocd on my part.

Print one off for me and I'll trade for a roll of sketchy hand-rolled Plus-X Aero.

Thepng · Oct 4, 2021

Cholentpot said:
Print one off for me and I'll trade for a roll of sketchy hand-rolled Plus-X Aero.

You got yourself a deal! I’ll through in a viewfinder mask too

Cholentpot · Oct 4, 2021

Thepng said:
You got yourself a deal! I’ll through in a viewfinder mask too

Beyond awesome. PM me for details.

richyd · Oct 4, 2021

Thanks for the info. From the specification description I hadn't thought about moving the front standard and I also held off ordering because I don't like Kickstarter pre-order items. I'll try to order one now as I see how I could use it also with my converted Polaroid 110.

Donald Qualls · Oct 5, 2021

richyd said:
I see how I could use it also with my converted Polaroid 110.

I'm certain you can't mount it under a spring back. The 110 conversions usually have an open back, however, and I'm uncertain whether you can make it fit. It's likely to interfere with use of the RF and viewfinder if it will...

richyd · Oct 6, 2021

Donald Qualls said:
I'm certain you can't mount it under a spring back. The 110 conversions usually have an open back, however, and I'm uncertain whether you can make it fit. It's likely to interfere with use of the RF and viewfinder if it will...

My 110B conversion has graflok mechanism so I use it with a grafmatic holder. But looking at the dimensions of the Lomo unit it is very deep and so the main problem might be getting your eye close enough to the viewfinder. Actually I would see that as a problem on my Super Speed too, to view the tiny RF window. Also with the 110 with the lens already set further back so not sure if there is enough space to set it even further back.

urnem57 · Feb 25, 2022

I am curios if you ever made a 3d printed spacer.
I found this online : https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/105634-lomograflok-instax-back-modified-focusing-screen-s
Does anyone have experience with this?
It seems like removing the gg for each image is way too cumbersome.
From what I can tell, this spacer allows you to keep the gg in place.
One place I got a quote from wanted $100 to print this.
Anyone with a printer care to offer a better price?
Thanks!

Thepng · Feb 25, 2022

urnem57 said:
I am curios if you ever made a 3d printed spacer.
I found this online : https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/105634-lomograflok-instax-back-modified-focusing-screen-s
Does anyone have experience with this?
It seems like removing the gg for each image is way too cumbersome.
From what I can tell, this spacer allows you to keep the gg in place.
One place I got a quote from wanted $100 to print this.
Anyone with a printer care to offer a better price?
Thanks!

Looks like that is a replacement for the spacer that comes with the back. You’ll still need to remove the ground glass to mount the back after focusing.

The spacer I made fits between the infinity stop and the lens board. This lets you leave the back on if you use the rangefinder and viewfinder.

urnem57 · Feb 25, 2022

Thanks for the reply.
Then I guess I don’t understand what this spacer does and if it is really necessary. Can you explain this to me?

Thepng · Feb 25, 2022

urnem57 said:
Thanks for the reply.
Then I guess I don’t understand what this spacer does and if it is really necessary. Can you explain this to me?

Yeah, so the film plain of the instax is a bit more than an inch behind the film plain of a normal 4x5. The spacer that comes with the instax moves the ground glass (gg) back to the instax film plain so you can focus with the glass.

The instax back attaches with the clips on the back of the camera, and will not fit under the ground glass anyways. Normally, once you focus with the gg, you have to mount the instax back which requires removing the gg.

My method is to not use the gg at all. If you use the rangefinder on a graphic, you can move the lens back by the same thickness of the instax spacer. Then, everything lines up focus wise with the rangefinder. You can just leave the instax on the camera and compose with your viewfinder.

Donald Qualls · Feb 26, 2022

urnem57 said:
Thanks for the reply.
Then I guess I don’t understand what this spacer does and if it is really necessary. Can you explain this to me?

I would guess that it's to provide a replacement in case the original spacer/framing aid gets lost or broken.

Thepng said:
The spacer I made fits between the infinity stop and the lens board. This lets you leave the back on if you use the rangefinder and viewfinder.

Is the .stl file for that available? I have an Anniversary Speed, and at present I've set the infinity stops back to use the RF with my LomoGraflok, but I'd rather be able to leave the stops set for the original film plane (as modified by a millimeter or so by the Graflok conversion back I installed) and be able to just set the front standard back without moving the stops. Yeah, if I had a Pacemaker, I'd just get another pair of stops, but if I had a Pacemaker, I likely wouldn't have needed to convert to Graflok anyway (instead, I'd just be cussing at the cable trigger in the body).

Thepng · Feb 26, 2022

Donald Qualls said:
I would guess that it's to provide a replacement in case the original spacer/framing aid gets lost or broken.
I can post the stl on thingiverse, but it sounds like you need a different spacing? Also, mine is pretty tailored to the crown graphic so not 100% sure it will work with your setup.

Is the .stl file for that available? I have an Anniversary Speed, and at present I've set the infinity stops back to use the RF with my LomoGraflok, but I'd rather be able to leave the stops set for the original film plane (as modified by a millimeter or so by the Graflok conversion back I installed) and be able to just set the front standard back without moving the stops. Yeah, if I had a Pacemaker, I'd just get another pair of stops, but if I had a Pacemaker, I likely wouldn't have needed to convert to Graflok anyway (instead, I'd just be cussing at the cable trigger in the body).

Donald Qualls · Feb 27, 2022

My setback ought to be the same as everyone's -- but the bed rail spacing and profile might be different between the Annie and Pacemaker. I wouldn't think it would take a lot of filament or machine time, though.

I could design a front spacer myself, but it's always easier to use an existing file.

Thepng · Feb 27, 2022

Donald Qualls said:
My setback ought to be the same as everyone's -- but the bed rail spacing and profile might be different between the Annie and Pacemaker. I wouldn't think it would take a lot of filament or machine time, though.

I could design a front spacer myself, but it's always easier to use an existing file.

I uploaded my stl to thingiverse here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5265708

Lomo Instax Wide 4x5 Test With Range-Finder

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